Packing and shipping case.



J. GELL.

PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE.

APPLIOATION IILBD JAN. 26, 1911.

1,051,572. Patented Jan.28,1913.

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PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1911.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

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J. GELL.

PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE.

APPLIOATlON IILED JAN.26, 191).. 1,05 1,572. Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Packing and Shipping Case, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more especially to such packing cases as are made of wood.

Among the principal objects of my invention I may mention the fo-llo\ving:'lo provide a packing case in which the sides and ends are formed of comparatively thin material, strengthened and reinforced by supporting and stiffening members comprising the frame pieces of the case which are pivotally connected by pins or bolts extending through such reinforcing members which are conformed and pivoted together to make a case which is collapsible when the top and bottom members are removed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a case especially adapted to the packing and shipping of goods such as articles of clothing on the outside of which there may be secured a card bearing the address of the consignee who, upon the receipt of the case and goods therein, may remove the goods and fold the sides and ends of the case in partially collapsed relation and inside out around and about the top and bot tom members in such a way as to securely hold them therein and in this way the inside of the case may bear permanently the shipping directions for the return thereof to the consignor for repaeking and shipment, thus providing a casewvhich may be repeatedly used in the storage or shipment of goods bearing on the inside and concealed during shipment when packed, the permanent shipping directions for the return to the consignor while the outside of the box may bear any different and changeable shipping directions or addresses for the shipment of the goods therein to different successive consignees.

Another feature of my present invention consists in a construction such that the several parts of the case cooperatively hold each other in rigid relation when in position for packing the goods therein.

Still another feature consists in providing a packing case structure from the frame work for one or more sides of which the inclosing wall may be removed.

Still other features of my invention com- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 26, 1911.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Serial No. 604,736.

bodiment of my invention adapted more especially to the packing, storage and shipment of articles of clothing, such for instance, as coats, although I do not limit myself thereby to any particular embodiment of my invention or to any particular or specific proportions of the parts of a packing case made in accordance therewith. Such drawings are as follows:

Figure l is a perspective view of such a case closed. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the cover and one end removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the case taken along the line my of Fig. 4. Fig. 4. is a vertical sectional view of the case taken along the line m y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the case taken along the line a1 i of Fig. 4. Fig. (3 shows a part of the lower portion of one of the ends of the case. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken on the line w-;I of Fig. 3, showing the method of pivotally attaching the side and end members together. Fig. 8 shows the case opened out so that the sides and ends lie practically along the same plane. Fig. 9 is a partial view of the parts of the case when folded up as will be explained. Fig. 10 shows the relative positionsoof the top and bottom members of the case when in closed and held within the partially collapsed case ready for return shipment. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the case when thus collapsed and folded wrong side out and taken along the line {LA-17]" of Fig. 12 while Fig. 19. shows a top or bottom view of the case thus collapsed and folded wrong side out and with the partitions, when used, attached thereto ready for return shipment.

Similar parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, in my box I provide sides D having top and bottom frame pieces (Z grooved on their inner edges, as indicated, to receive thetongues on the frame pieces a of the top and bottom members A. Spaced a short distance within the frame members (Z are seen lighter frame members (Z and at the center of each side member there is seen a reinforced bar or piece (Z The ends E are provided with side pieces 6 rigidly secured to the top and bottom frame pieces 0 and 6 respectively. These frame pieces 6 and e are grooved near their inner edges on their sides toward each other, as seen at s, to receive the tenons Z on the ends of the center pieces P. The side members 0 are grooved on their inner and adjacent sides and the member P is also similarly grooved on two of its opposite sides to receive the removable end pieces 19 which serve, when inserted, to hold the center piece P in place. The pieces 2) may be integral each side of the center piece P or they may be formed in any desired number of sections, two only being shown in the drawings and all the sections are held in place by means of screws engaging through the upper sections, as indicated in Fig. 5, and into the upper cross pieces 6 while the lower ones of such sections rest on the members 6 The sides D may be formed of any desired number of pieces and they extend between the outer edges of the members 6 of the end pieces so as to entirely cover the same. The top and bottom members of the box A extend between the outer edges of the members 6 and e and are provided with reinforcing pieces a at their outer edges which are tongued to engage within the grooves formed, as already mentioned, in the members (Z. Reinforcing bars a are seen in the center of the top and bottom members A.

The top and bottom members A are held in place in the case by means of screws, as seen at o, engaging therethrough and through the bars a and into the cross bars 6 and 6 respectively and threaded into nut-s which in turn are let into and securely held within such bars 0 and e by means of projections formed thereon and engaging into the bars 6' and e in such a way as to hold them in place in the recesses formed therefor in such bars.

It will be noticed that the bars 6 and c engage between the bars d and al and at each corner of the case, at the top and at the bottom, and the side members D and the end members E are pivotally held together and in place by means of bolts 4) engaging through such members at their ends and threaded into nuts let into and secured in suitable recesses therefor in the bars (Z whereby it will be seen that, upon the removal of the bolts or screws 4) at the top and bottom of the case at any one corner thereof, after the top and bottom members A have been removed, the case may be opened out so that the sides and ends thereof assume the relative positions as indicated in Fig. 8 lying substantially in the same plane and then the free ends of the outside side and end members, seen in Fig. 8, may be brought into engagement and the bolts 41 inserted through the members (l, e and (Z to hold the sides and ends together in inverted relation, that is wrong side out, thereafterthe top and bottom members A may be placed together in the relative positions indicated in Figs. 10 and 11, and in dotted lines in Fig. 8, and within the connected side members of the case and the sides and ends of the case may then be forced together to the positions such as inclicated in Figs. 11 and 12 and bolts 6 inserted through holes therefor in the top and bottom bars (Z to hold the parts in the relative positions indicated in Figs. 11 and 12. The top and bottom members A are also held in place by means of bolts 4) inserted through holes therefor in the members (Z and threaded into nuts 72. which are secured in recesses therefor in the members a and it will be seen that two of the holes through which such last named bolts are inserted are so positioned as to come opposite each other to receive the bolts 5.

I have sometimes found it desirable to provide partitions C within the case which may preferably be formed from bars 0 having cross pieces 0 extending between them and secured thereto, and in the sides of the case D I provide a series of openings 0 adapted to receive pins r for holding the partitions C in place, as indicated in Figs. 8, l and9. These partitions C are held in place on the collapsed case by means of screws 7L inserted therethrough and into the sides D occupying the partitions on the outside of the case as indicated in Figs. 9, 11 and 12. In Fig. 4 one of the partitions is seen in oblique position for the purpose hereinafter explained at C When my case is to be used in storing and shipping coats I have found it desirable to insert a cross bar R resting in notches there for in and extending between the bars 6 From such a bar the coats are suspended upon suitable hangers and the partitions C are inserted and forced to place being preferably inserted over the bottom pins 1*, properly placed, in oblique position as indicated in Fig. 4t and forced to an upright position and held there by means of the bins r inserted in the proper ones of the upper series of holes thereof.

In packing the case with coats and other articles it is frequently desirable to remove the cover member A and the center piece P and the panels 3) and each side thereof from one of the ends E to facilitate the insertion and packing of the coats. After the case has been packed the center bar P is inserted in place and the panels 39 inserted in the grooves therefor in the members P and 6 and the upper portions of such panel members secured by means of screws as indicated ner already described when the case is ready for shipment as thus packed.

After the case has been emptied it may be opened and secured together with the sides and ends in partially collapsed position and with the top and bottom members and the partition members each and all secured in the relative positions and in the manner clearly described and as indicated in Figs. 9, 11 and 12.

hat I claim is:

1. A box of the character described comprising two opposite side members provided with transversely extending reinforcing bars at the top and bottom; two opposite end members also provided with transversely extending reinforcing bars at the top and bottom, said reinforcing bars extending beyond the sides and ends and overlapping each other and pivotally connected at their projecting ends at the corners of the box by bolts or pins extending therethrough, said sides and ends and reinforcing bars and conneeting means therefor adapted to be connected together with the reinforcing bars on the outside of the box and when thus connected to hold the sides and ends of the box in rigid relation and also adapted to be connected together with the reinforcing bars on the inside of the box permitting a relative angular movement between the sides and ends of the box whereby the box may be collapsed and opposite ends and the sides brought substantially together.

2. A box of the character described comprising two opposite side members provided with transversely extending reinforcing bars at the top and bottom; two opposite end members also provided with transversely ex tending reinforcing bars at the top and bottom, said reinforcing bars extending beyond the sides and ends and overlapping each other and pivotally connected at their projecting ends at the corners of the box by bolts or pins extending therethrough, said sides and ends and reinforcing bars and connecting means therefor adapted to be connected together with the reinforcing bars on the outside of the box and when thus connected to hold the sides and ends of the box in rigid relation and also adapted to be connected together with the reinforcing bars on the inside of the box permitting a relative angular movement between the sides and ends of the box whereby the box may be collapsed and opposite ends and the sides brought substantially together, the top and bottom reinforcing bars on the sides of the box extending respectively above and below the top and bottom reinforcing bars on the ends and adapted to receive between them top and bottom members of the box, and top and bottom members adapted to engage between the side members where they extend beyond the end members and to extend over and contact with the top and bottom of the end members.

3. A box of the character described comprising two opposite side members provided with transversely extending reinforcing bars at the top and bottom; two opposite end members also provided with transversely extending reinforcing bars at the top and bottom, said reinforcing bars extending beyond the sides and ends and overlapping each other and pivotally connected at their projecting ends at the corners of the box by bolts or pins extending therethrough, said sides and ends and reinforcing bars and connecting means therefor adapted to be connected together with the reinforcing bars on the outside of the box and when thus connected to hold the sides and ends of the box in rigid relation and also adapted to be connected together with the reinforcing bars on the inside of the box permitting a relative angular movement between the sides and ends of the box whereby the box may be collapsed and opposite ends and the sides brought substantially together, the top and bottom reinforcing bars on the sides of the box extending respectively above and below the top and bottom reinforcing bars on the ends and grooved on their inner or adjacent faces and top and bottom members adapted to slidably engage in the grooves in the reinforcing bars on the side members where they extend beyond the end members and to extend over and contact with the top and bottom of the end members.

JOHN GELL.

Witnesses:

MARTHA M. NnLsoN, OSBORNE F. GURNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

